Smith, part of the Matt Holliday deal with Oakland, said he’s 90 percent sure that he’ll have a 60-pitch rehab start Tuesday at Double-A Tulsa. He’s battled a shoulder strain all spring and his rehab was shut down on May 24 a one-hit five-inning stint with Colorado Springs.

“I decided a needed about two weeks to let it heal,” he said. “I’ve taken anti-inflammatories for my shoulder and it’s really helped.”

Smith has endured a roller coaster year. He got a severe case of the flu during spring training, then his shoulder flared up.

He has eyes on returning to the Rockies’ rotation at some point this season. Could he replace the mercurial Jorge De La Rosa? Or will De La Rosa bounce back, as he did last season? Will it be Franklin Morales, recently designated back to Triple-A, who moves into a starter role?
Intriguing questions for a rotation that has been lights out during the recent run back to respectability.

The Rockies head into this afternoon’s game looking for their fourth straight series win and a chance to climb to .500 for the first time since April 15.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.